Mrs. Wallberg's Class

Here is a brief description of the core second grade subjects:

READING: We have two new types of reading curriculums that we use on a daily basis. Fundations is the phonics piece that we use that focuses more on phonemic awareness, spelling, and spelling rules used in words. We also have Teacher's College "Units of Study" curriculum where each unit focuses more on the comprehension side of reading such as teaching students how to read more fluently, think deeper about what they are reading, etc. Second grade students receive more individualized practice & skills during small group with their teacher on a daily basis as well as conferring during independent reading. 

SPELLING: With our "new to us" reading curriculum called Fundations, it does not include spelling words & a spelling test each week like your child may have been used to in 1st grade. I have hopes of creating a list of words to practice at home, but there won't be a specific spelling test every week. The spelling words for each unit focus more on a spelling skill such as blends, digraphs, vowel teams, etc. There is a fundations test that students take after each Unit that consists of sounds, words, and sentences. 

MATH: Our math program we use is Everyday Mathematics. It is a spiraling curriculum, so the students will be continually exposed to the concepts throughout the school year. On top of using Everyday Math Curriculum we also focus on one 2nd grade math standard each week. The following is a basic list of what to expect your second grader to be learning in Math this year, however, there is much more...

• adding/subtracting basic math facts up to 20 • reading/writing numbers up to 1000 • place value (ones, tens, hundreds, thousands) • identifying and counting coins up to $1 • 2D & 3D Shapes  • using calculators  • basic fractions  • non-standard units of measurement  • using a ruler  • telling time (to the quarter hour)  • greater than, less than, equal to •  number stories • graphing, etc!

HEALTH: Our health curriculum is based on our body. We talk about the outside environment and what is good and bad for our bodies. We even touch on how to make good decisions on things we put in our bodies as well as how to treat others and be respectful.

SCIENCE: We learn about living and non-living things, rocks, forces of motion, life cycles, habitats, weather and more. We have lots of experiments that we get to do! 

SOCIAL STUDIES: The social studies curriculum deals with places around the world, cultures, holidays, and people in our community. 

SOCIAL SKILLS: We have a social skills curriculum called Second Step. Social skills is something I truly believe is so important at this age for students. I want my students to work hard in school focusing on academics but I think it's also just as important to learn how to be a good person, a good friend, having empathy, showing kindness and learning how to deal with their emotions and feelings. I have many, many read aloud books to help with different social skills and lessons. 

Second Graders will have two types of homework to work on each week! The first one is a homework packet. This homework packet will be placed in your child's take-home folder & includes a due date for the following week. This homework packet ties to what we are learning in Fundations (phonics) and includes a spelling list of words that follows a specific spelling skill. Along with that spelling skill and words, students have a couple pages of reading and math review. These concepts have all been taught in the classroom so your child should be able to complete it independently or with minimal assistance from parents/siblings at home. 

Along with these homework packets; Second Graders should also be reading at least 20 minutes per night. I no longer send home reading logs but I do challenge students to read at least five days out of the week. As a class goal in the classroom we are practicing stamina while independent reading and your child should be able to sit for the full duration while reading for 20 minutes, uninterrupted and be engaged in their book(s).

Other than reading minutes and homework packet, you child will have very minimal homework unless there is some work that was not finished in class. 

Thank you for being a positive and active part of your child's education!

Reading is SO important at the second grade level. 

Scholastic Book Orders are sent home monthly in your child's take home folder. Please take the time to look through the book orders and think about purchasing books in order to build your home library. Book prices are cheaper on their website and purchasing is easier when ordering online. I'll make sure to send a note home along with the book orders. 

Scholastic Book Clubs Website: https://clubs.scholastic.com/home

Remember to use our class code & pay attention to the awesome deals they offer each month! 

Class code: KCNNJ

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At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year I reached out to friends and family members of my own to see if they would be willing to sponsor a student in my classroom for $20 for the school year. I was successful in finding a sponsor for every single one of my students this school year, which I am so grateful for. 

What does that mean and how does it work?

Each month scholastic has books that are on special for only $1 or $2 and my goal is to make sure each one of my students get to bring a book home for free each month to add to their library at home. I was successful in finding sponsors for each one of my students, and look forward to sending a book home with each student each month during the school year. The books that get sent home will have a label from me inside the front cover! 

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When placing an order of your own, please use our class code found above. I earn points for each order that are put towards books to build our classroom library. Once you have signed into Scholastic website (it is free to sign up!) you will also see a classroom wish list of books that we'd love for our classroom. If this is something you'd like to donate to, wonderful, but please don't feel obligated to.